Podcast Summary
Podcast: Dufresne Ministries Podcast
Episode: Victory for the Mind & Body, Part Two | Nancy Dufresne | Jesus the Healer Broadcast
Date: October 24, 2019
Speaker: Pastor Nancy Dufresne
Overview of the Episode
In this impactful episode, Pastor Nancy Dufresne explores how Christians can walk in victory by taking responsibility for their minds and bodies. Building on foundational scriptures, she teaches that while God grants a new spirit at salvation, believers themselves must present their bodies and renew their minds through God’s Word—a process paramount for spiritual success, personal transformation, and resisting the devil. Pastor Nancy shares practical wisdom, scriptural insights, and personal anecdotes to motivate listeners to actively engage in renewing their minds daily, highlighting the profound effects this has on every aspect of life.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Responsibility for Mind and Body (00:20–04:30)
- God’s work at new birth: He gives us a new spirit, but we must take action with our bodies and minds.
- Scriptural reference:
- 1 Corinthians 9:27: Paul declares, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection," emphasizing that even the most anointed must discipline their bodies.
- The “real you” is the spirit; the body is a vessel that must be managed.
“Your spirit is the real you. Your body is not the real you… I, my spirit, keeps under my body. Meaning I let my spirit dominate me. My body's not going to dominate me.” — Nancy Dufresne (02:30)
2. Body as a Living Sacrifice (04:30–08:25)
- Romans 12:1–2: Present your body as a living sacrifice—holy and acceptable to God.
- What we do with our bodies is a form of spiritual worship.
- God will use vessels presented to Him—not ones given to sin.
“God can't use us the way He wants to if we’re letting our bodies dominate us, participating in wrong things… He uses vessels that are presented to Him.” — Nancy Dufresne (05:30)
3. The Process of Renewing the Mind (08:25–13:30)
- Transformation doesn’t happen at new birth; it comes through renewing the mind.
- Renewing the mind is a lifelong, daily process, achieved by feeding on and doing the Word.
- Confessing the Word isn’t enough; it must lead to changed actions.
“The renewing of the mind is the doing of the Word. The mind is not renewed until it’s living it… Our minds are not renewed until we’re living the Word in everyday life.” — Nancy Dufresne (10:20)
4. Practical Outcomes of a Renewed Mind (13:30–17:10)
- Evidence of a renewed mind appears in relationships—marriage, how we treat others, even our kids’ upbringings.
- Unrenewed minds lead to Christian lives that look no different than the unsaved.
- The best Christian fellowship is among those who are actively renewing their minds.
“If we do not renew our minds with the Word of God, our lives will look like the unsaved neighbor. It’s the renewed mind that brings your life into the life God authored for you.” — Nancy Dufresne (15:40)
5. Defense Against the Devil: Submitted Body, Renewed Mind (17:10–22:30)
- Our greatest defense against Satan is not just prayer but a submitted body and a renewed mind.
- The devil can oppose, but can only gain entrance through unsubmitted bodies and unrenewed minds.
- Natural personality traits that don’t align with the Word must be changed.
“Your greatest defense against the devil is a submitted body and a renewed mind. If you will renew your mind with the Word, the devil can’t get in.” — Nancy Dufresne (18:10)
6. Consistency and Daily Discipline (22:30–29:10)
- Mind renewal is like combing your hair—you need to do it daily.
- Inconsistency (jumping between righteousness and unrighteousness) leads to inner turmoil and lack of peace.
- Genuine peace and “heaven on earth” at home are possible only through renewed minds.
“The mind doesn’t stay renewed any more than the hair stays combed.” — Nancy Dufresne quoting Dad Hagin (23:45)
7. Unrenewed Mind and Mental Health (29:10–36:00)
- Depression, anxiety, and panic attacks are real experiences, rooted in the “spirit of fear,” but they operate on an unrenewed mind.
- The cure: getting the Word into your mind; active participation in church aids in this.
- Merely attending church isn’t enough—renewal is “homework.”
“Depression is an unrenewed mind. The feelings of depression... are very real, but you are totally delivered from them as you renew your mind.” — Nancy Dufresne (33:02)
8. The Homework of Mind Renewal (36:00–41:45)
- Mind renewal requires work outside of church, just as students must do homework to succeed.
- Evidence of whether someone is renewing their mind is apparent in speech, relationships, finances, and more.
“You don’t succeed in the Christian life just because you show up at church. You succeed because you do the right thing with your mind as homework.” — Nancy Dufresne (38:55)
9. Scriptural References & Illustrations (41:45–49:20)
- James 1:21 (Amplified): Get rid of evil and receive the implanted Word, which saves your soul—referring to mind renewal in believers.
- Various biblical descriptions for the same process:
- Paul: renew your mind
- James: save your soul
- David (Psalm 23): He restores my soul
- John (3 John 1:2): Prosper as your soul prospers
- Restoring an antique as an analogy: the more effort poured in, the sooner enjoyment comes—so too with mind renewal.
10. Making Mind Renewal a Lifestyle (49:20–54:22)
- Joshua 1: Meditate on the Word “day and night”—let it become a lifestyle.
- Success isn’t about the devil leaving us alone, but about what we do with our minds and the Word in our lives.
“Notice, your success is not because the devil leaves you alone. Your success is because of what you do with the Word in your mind and in your daily life.” — Nancy Dufresne (52:30)
11. Encouragement and Prayer for Freedom (54:22–End)
- Sometimes people entrenched in wrong thinking need extra help; there is power for deliverance, but ongoing mind renewal is essential.
- Prayer released for freedom from fear, depression, and oppression.
“After we pray for you, you’ve got to do the right thing with your mind and your body… Freedom from these things that trouble us is so available to us. But it’s not what you do in church; it’s what you do every day.” — Nancy Dufresne (54:50–56:00)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “If you don’t, your life will look like ruin. Why does he beseech us to do something with our mind and body? Because when we do, that’s our greatest defense against the devil.” (18:00)
- “Ask me! You can’t choose the flesh one day and choose the spirit the next day and think everything’s going to stay in place.” (25:45)
- “Your personality is to color your life, but not lead your life… If it’s not in line with the word, you better change it. If you don’t, it’s the entrance place for the devil.” (21:30)
- “Mind renewal is not a one-time thing. The Bible says we are renewed day by day for the rest of our life.” (23:10)
- On spiritual homework: “A student doesn’t make a passing grade because they showed up in class. A student makes a passing grade because they did their homework of studying. It’s the same thing with the renewed mind.” (38:00)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:20 — God’s work in the new birth; our responsibility for mind and body
- 02:30 — Explanation of “I keep under my body” (1 Corinthians 9:27)
- 05:30 — The spiritual significance of presenting the body to God (Romans 12)
- 10:20 — The meaning and steps of renewing the mind
- 18:10 — The greatest defense against the devil: submitted body and renewed mind
- 23:45 — “The mind doesn’t stay renewed any more than the hair stays combed.”
- 33:02 — Depression and anxiety as issues of the unrenewed mind
- 38:00 — Mind renewal as “homework” and its visible results
- 41:45 — James, Paul, David, and John on the renewing of the mind/soul
- 52:30 — Success is based on what we do with the Word, not the devil’s absence
- 54:50 — Prayer for freedom from depression and oppression
- 56:00+ — Final encouragement on the necessity of daily mind renewal
Final Takeaway
Pastor Nancy underscores that victory in the Christian life is not automatic—it’s the result of actively, daily presenting one’s body and continually renewing one’s mind with God’s Word. This is the believer’s greatest shield against the strategies of the enemy and the gateway to enjoying all God has provided in Christ. Transformation comes not just from spiritual experience, but through intentional, ongoing spiritual “homework.”